CHINA: Beijng gets ready for the Olympics opening ceremony while people queue to buy special stamps
Record ID:
329502
CHINA: Beijng gets ready for the Olympics opening ceremony while people queue to buy special stamps
- Title: CHINA: Beijng gets ready for the Olympics opening ceremony while people queue to buy special stamps
- Date: 8th August 2008
- Summary: (W2) BEIJING, CHINA (AUGUST 08, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING TO BUY OLYMPIC STAMPS PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO COUNTER PEOPLE BUYING SPECIAL OLYMPIC STAMPS AND ENVELOPES OLYMPIC SPECIAL ENVELOPE AND STAMPS FEATURING BIRD'S NEST STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHANN FAUCHUNSTEINER, GERMAN JOURNALIST, SAYING: "This is a special day, it is eight, eight, 2008, it is not very often to see, so I take this." CUSTOMERS BUYING PACKAGE OF OLYMPIC STAMPS AND POSTCARD VARIOUS OF CASHIERS COUNTING MONEY VARIOUS OF TELLER STAMPING POSTCARDS GROUPS OF PEOPLE AT COUNTER BUYING OLYMPIC STAMPS NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) WANG WEI, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE BEIJING ORGANISING COMMITTEE OF THE 29TH OLYMPIC GAMES, SAYING: "So I can tell you roughly, we have contingency plans for three kinds of scenarios, so I think we are ready, whatever happens, the opening ceremony will continue." JOURNALISTS FILMING THE NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: China
- Country: China
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVADD4SRYBHSTB8XYYX6H52E5O7C
- Story Text: Hundreds of people in Beijing queued on Friday (Aug 8) to buy Olympic stamps to mark the day, when the 2008 Games opens.
The opening ceremony is the culmination of China's seven years of hard work that reshaped the capital. It also sets the seal on a sustained economic boom that has seen the country emerge as a new superpower.
China issued a special stamp featuring the Beijing Games' main venue the Bird's Nest stadium to mark the opening day, Aug 8.
Hundreds of people, including international tourists and journalists, are eager to get one as a souvenir.
"This is a special day, it is eight, eight, 2008, it is not very often to see, so I take this," said Jonann Fauchunsteiner, a German journalist, at a post office inside the Main Press Centre.
The ceremony starts at 8 p.m. on the eighth day of the eighth month -- the number appropriately symbolising fortune -- before an estimated global audience of one billion.
Advertising its new economic clout, China has invested $43 billion on the Games. Some $100 million, twice the 2004 Athens bill, has gone on "big bang" opening and closing ceremonies.
Authorities have closed factories and pulled millions of cars off the road, but smog and haze enveloped the capital on Friday morning -- obscuring views of the futuristic skyline.
There was also a chance of showers in the evening, despite talk Beijing would use experimental technology to ward off rain.
Executive vice president and secretary-general of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games, Wang Wei, said they are ready for any urgent weather situation.
"So I can tell you roughly, we have contingency plans for three kinds of scenarios, so we are ready, whatever happens, the opening ceremony will continue," said Wang in fluent English.
Sporting action will hit top gear the day after the ceremony. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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